Heralding.

We exited onto the roof of a secluded warehouse by the docks in full view of the PRT HQ on the abandoned oil rig in the bay, as I took in the surroundings.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" I said.

"Yeah." Noelle replied.

"So what's the plan boss?" String Theory asked, eager to please.

"We'll get to it. But first, I'd recommend plugging your ears." I said, putting on my earmuffs, as did Star.

"Why?" I could see her mouth move.

I smiled, raising three fingers.

I put down one finger, then another.

Screech!

A shrill scream rang out across the bay, as the ground beneath us shook to it's foundations, and glass shattered all across the city, before coalescing in the distance into glimmering armor, and halo, encompassing a girl with bronze skin, lifting her into the sky on a platform of glass.

Beneath her, the buildings crumbled, as if a wrecking ball had been driven through them, a monochrome figure flashing between the dust clouds and rubble.

A reddish purple fog spread out following it, slowly spreading through the streets as the screams of the people caught in it echoed out.

Faintly, I could make out them bleeding from their eyes as the fell twitching to the floor.

And then against all odds, they got up.

I felt a smile bloom on my face in excitement.

A zombie plague!

A classic!

Oh, I'll so enjoy the cleanup.

Then as the silicokinetic shriek dulled down, an unsettling quiet steeped into the town.

You could hear the little bit of rubble tumble down from the other end of town, as clear as you could hear the flush of your toilet in the living room.

To all that knew what it meant, and that was nigh about everybody, the message was clear.

The Slaughterhouse Nine were in town!

And it was about to get bloody. Just this once, I intend for the Nine to pay the price.

Now while the rest were stunned from the scream, I laced their brains with my nano swarm.

If they survive this fight, I'll need to kill them to keep this whole thing hush.

And even without the need for that, their shards are too valuable to be left unharvested.

I removed my earmuffs, and called out to the computer

"Computer open a map. Display all relevant players. Show civilians by population density."

A map opened in my vision, before I projected it onto the holo screen, making it visible to everyone.

"Alright guys, here. Look here.

You too Gavel. You're not special.

See these areas with people? Yeah. Avoid them. Let's keep civilian casualties to the minimum. I'm going for a bit of a PR stunt here." I cautioned.

"Let's start then. Star set up the forcefield. Marquis, leave the forcefield's area before it activates. But hold on from meeting your daughter for now.

Now. Let's go over the plan. As you can see, the heroes are already making their way over to the Nine.

And I can't have that. I'll need a distraction.

That's where you come in, Fairy Queen. Go out and reap some capes. Have fun. Go ham if you want. Just be here when Scion arrives. And remember, if anyone asks how you escaped, you tell them it was a secret power you kept hidden. Not a word about me, okay?"

"Fine. I shall humor you this once, mortal. But only because I allow it, and desire a stroll. Not by your mandate." She said.

"Of course, your highness." I played along.

She nodded satisfied, and leaped off the roof as she flew away.

"Gavel, Noelle, Oliver, you lot need to hide in the rubble down there and wait. This will be a long haul mission, so be still.

And no matter what, do not show yourself until I permit it!

Everything has to go according to the plan." I ordered.

"And what is the plan, boss?" String Theory pressed.

"Good question. Here's the plan. It's simple. You guys wait and do as I say, while I demolish the heroes and bait Scion here.

Once Scion is here, Gavel and Queen hold him down while me and you, String Theory, shoot him to death. Thats is assuming you can make a pile driver cannon that is able to kill him."

"Who do you think I am?!" String Theory puffed out her modest chest, and thumped it.

"I may have failed to blow up the moon last time, but I'm still the best tinker on the planet!"

"Good. I'll lead you to where the the materials are kept. Now remember, you are only here as a failsafe in case Scion's precognition reaches past the moon and he spots my own FTL cannon.

Then and only then will I allow you to shoot." I explained.

"But if Scion's precognition reaches past the moon, how am I supposed to hide from him on Earth?" She asked.

"That's the thing, String..." I grinned, "You won't be on Earth. Let me show you." I opened up another tab on the holo screen displaying a dimension anchor.

"This thing here will trap you in an alternate dimension. There, you will build your weapon. How fast can you do it?" I asked.

"If all the materials are available on hand, then about forty minutes or so." She replied.

"Good enough. If you're building a fresh new weapon in a dimension outside his purview, even he won't be able to predict it. Just be ready to shoot. I can call you out anytime."

"Got it boss." She replied.

"Alright. Give me a minute and I'll take you over.

Noelle." I called her over, pulling out a shard extractor.

She looked a bit iffy as she spotted the device in my hand and took a step back unconciously.

"I'll put this on you and give you a dose of regeneration serum. Just in case something goes wrong. You understand, don't you?"

"Actually, I don't. This... it's a bit hasty, isn't it? I won't harm anyone, promise. I feel even more in control now, after spending some time away from the planet. I think I-"

"Noelle. People's lives could be in danger. Do you really want to take the chance? Do you want to hurt people again?" I asked.

Her face fell as she remembered the times she had gone berserk. I could see her complexion pale slightly as she shook her head.

"...okay." She agreed, softly.

I patted her tentacles gently, and comforted her.

"I won't activate it unless it's an emergency. I promise." I assured her.

She nodded, fearful tears brimming in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry." I repeated.

"No...." She sniffled, "I know ... it's...it must be done."

I nodded and opened up a portal to her head and attached the disk to it, before giving her a dose of CodeRed.

The device pricked into the skin on her neck, digging in slightly causing her to wince in pain, shivering.

"There. Done. And it didn't even hurt that much, now did it?" I said.

"No." She agreed.

"Now go hide. I'll deal with the rest." I said, turning back to String Theory, just as a flash erupted in the corner of the city opposite to the Nine. I zoomed in with my contacts and saw Queen engaging Eidolon and his gaggle of heroes.

"There. We have a distraction. String Theory, follow me." I said, leading her across the street to a former Merchants' base, opening a hatch into the basement.

As we walked in, I flipped on the switch, revealing a dimension anchor sitting in the middle of the trashed room.

"Just one thing to note before you go.

Scion's body isn't actually his real body, it-"

"It's a projection that leads to his real body somewhere in a pocket dimension. Yes, I know." She said, with an impossibly smug grin.

I looked at her surprised.

"What? Don't look at me like that! I'm the best tinker on the planet. I can at least differentiate between projections and people. Besides, Scion isn't even good at pretending to be a human.

No ticks or micro expressions on him. Too stiff and robotic.

And that supernatural emo aura he exudes 24/7. Makes me sick just looking at him. Like what's he got to be depressed about? He's Scion! He has all the powers. The full package. And he still looks like a mopey dick." She spat.

"Well....yes." I replied, stunned.

"So you know how to make the targetting system, yes?"

"The disrespect!" She huffed, "Of course I know!" She answered, sounding almost annoyed.

"Okay then. Just in case though, I did leave a file with the materials to help with the build, so consult it if need be."

"Yeah, sure. Now send me over! I can't wait to tinker again! It's been so long since I made something!" She said, hopping in place.

"Go ahead and put your hand on that. I'll send you over." I said.

She nodded, and walked over, giving the whole device a bear hug.

"Just touching would have been fine." I smiled.

She stuck out her tongue at me in response.

I laughed, shaking my head, as I pressed a button in my glove, and reversed it's polarity.

The anchor blipped, lights flashing on it's interface and disappeared into nothingness, taking a small chunk of the room with it.

That's done.

I walked back out, and whistled to Star.

"Hun?" Star intoned as he leaned off the side of the roof.

"The forcefield set?" I asked.

"Yes, Papa. I'll flip the switch now." He said, as a shimmering veil extended out from the roof, enveloping the whole street, warehouse and all.

"Good work." I said, jumping back to the roof with my enhanced suit's muscles, and looked Star over once more.

Lightsaber, check.

Forcefield clip, check.

Disintegration grenade, check.

Healing serum, check.

Everything was in order.

I placed the camera on the forcefield generator and pushed out with my technokinesis, connecting it to all the media devices across the world once more.

"Alright. It's showtime. In three.... two...one! Action!"